318 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



down intentionally. I had a large number of In- 

 dians at work clearing them, and endeavouring to 

 trace their direction to the end. In some places 

 they extended to the bases of large mounds, on 

 which were ruins of buildings and colossal fragments 

 of sculpture, while in others they branched off and 

 terminated abruptly. I counted three hundred and 

 eighty, and there were many more ; but so many 

 were broken, and they lay so irregularly, that I gave 

 up counting them. They were entirely too low to 

 have supported a roof under which persons could 

 walk. The idea at times suggested itself that they 

 had upheld a raised walk of cement, but there were 

 no remains visible. The plate opposite will give 

 some idea of these columns, with the Castillo and 

 part of the Tennis-court appearing in the background. 

 They enclose an area nearly four hundred feet 

 square ; and, incomprehensible as they are in their 

 uses and object, add largely to the interest and 

 wonder connected with these ruins. 



I have now closed my brief description of the 

 ruins of Chichen, having presented, with as httle 

 detail as possible, all the principal buildings of this 

 ancient city. Ruined mounds exist, and detached 

 portions of sculpture strew the ground, exhibiting 

 curious devices, which often arrested us in wander- 

 ing among them, but which I shall not attempt to 

 give. They were the ruins which we had had 

 longest in prospect, of which we had formed the 

 largest expectations, and these expectations were 



